Electric switch



(No Model.)

N. MARSHALL. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Mar. 17,1896.

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(No Model.) 1 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

N. MARSHALL.

' ELECTRIC SWITCH.

l IIIN Patented Mar. 17

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN MARSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,510, dated March 17, 1896.

Appucation med December 14,1895. sereine. 572.112. cromada.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, NORMAN MARSHALL, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an lmprovement in Electric Switches, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to electric switches or circuit-controllers of that class known as quick-acting switches, and has for its object to provide a switch of the class referred to in which the movable Contact member may be thrown or moved in opposite directions with increased spring-power to obtain a quicker-acting, more efficient and durable switch.

In accordance with this invention the movable contact member is mounted on a suitable support to be moved in opposite directions, and has co-operating with it spring-actuated pawls or locking devices, one of which is in engagement with the movable contact member when the latter is in engagement with the co-operating contact member, at which time the other of said pawls is disengaged from said movable contact member. The pawls referred to are disengaged from the movable` contact member by a movable actuating device, and the said device in its movement acts upon a spring to store up energy, which is employed to throw or move the movable contact member of the switch when the latter is disengaged from its locking or holding pawl, the disengagement of the said pawl taking place at or about the time the spring is placed under maximum tension, so that when the movable contact member is released by its holding-pawl it is placed under the control of the spring under maximum tension, and as a result the movable Contact member is thrown ormoved into or out from engagement with its co-operating contact member with increased force and speed, thereby reducing to a minimum the danger of arcing and insuring a more efficient operation of the switch.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this speciiication.

Figure l represents in elevation one form of switch embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the switch shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3, an elevation of the switch shown in Fig. l, with the actuating device in the position it occupies when the spring is placed under maximum tension; Fig. 4, a sectional detail on the line 4 4., Fig. l, with parts in elevation Figs. 5 and 6, similar views to Figs. l and 3 of a modified form of switch; and Fig. 7, a sectional detail on the line 7 7, Fig. 5, to be referred to.

Referring to Figs. l to 4, inclusive, Arepresents one form of movable contact member which is provided, as shown, with a contactarm a, co-operating in the closed condition of the switch with a stationary contact arm or member a, secured, as by screws a2, to a suitable support a3, which may be a plate or wall of metal or other suitable material.

The movable contact member A, as herein shown, is loosely mounted on a stud orbolt a5, secured to the plate or support a3, it being shownas extended through a bushing a and fastened by the nut a7. The bolt or pin a5 constitutes a pivot upon which the movable contact member A swings or turns, and the said contact member is adapted to be turned, as herein shown, by means of an actuating-spring a8, coiled about the stud or pin a5 and having its ends or arms 2 3 (see Figi) extended down so as to cross each other and bear on opposite sides of a lug or projection a9 on the movable contact member A. The movable contact member A is provided on substantially diametrically-opposite sides with shoulders or projections am am, constituting teeth, with which co-operate teeth a am on pawls or locking devices L15 am, the said pawls being pivotally secured at their lower ends, as at als a, to the plate a3.

In the construction shown in Fig. l the IOO posite directions, as shown in Fig. l, by means of lingers, lugs or projections Z2 b2 on the said pawls extended into slots b3 b4 made in the plate a3. Each of the pawls aw al is preferably made in one piece, the pivot and the stop-finger being turned in one direction and the arm am turned in the opposite direction. The actuating device or plate b is loosely mounted upon the stud or bolt a and is provided with a finger or projection b4, which normally stands in line with the nger or projection ai on the movable contact member A, and the arms 2 3 on the actuating-spring a8 extend into the path of movement of the iinger b4, so that when the actuating device or plate b is turned on its pivot in one direction one arm of the said spring will be moved or carried away from its normal position shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby placing the actuating-spring a3 under tension until the tooth am on the pawl L15 has been disengaged from the tooth am on the movable contact member A, and when disengaged the actuating-spring as, through its arm 2, acting on the finger or projection a, will turn the contact member A on its stud or pivot a5 in the direction indicated by arrow '20, Fig. 3, until the contact-arm A meets a suitable stop. (Shown as a pin or stud 11T.) The movement of the contact member A in the direction indicated by the arrow 2O withdraws the contact-arm c from engagement with the co-operating contact member a', thereby opening the switch. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the actuating-spring as for the movable Contact member A is placed under maximum tension at or about the time the holding-pawl C015 is disengaged from the tooth am on the contact member A, so that when the pawl (L15 is disengaged the contact member A is moved with a maximum force, thereby insuring quick withdrawal of the cont-act-arm a from the stationary contact-arm a.

In the open position of the switch shown in Figs. l to inclusive, the contact-arm a is disengaged from the stationary arm a', and the tooth a of the holdingepawl am is in engagement with the tooth or projection au on the contact member A, and the actuating bar or plate b occupies substantially the position shown in Fig.

In Fig. 3 the contact member A is represented in its normal position, while the plate of bar b is represented in substantially the reverse position from that shown in Fig. l, in order that the effect of the maximum tension of the spring may be more clearly understood. When the contact member A of the switch is in its open position, which in this case would be with the arm d disengaged from the stationary arm d', and the lug or projection a substantially in line with the lug or projection b4, (shown in Fig. 3,) it may be moved back into its closed position by turning the actuating bar or plate b in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrowZO, so that in this case the arm 201 the actuatingspring a8 will be carried by the finger b4 in the di rection opposite to that indicated by the arrow 20, while the tooth a of the holdingpawl remains in engagement with the tooth or projection am on the contact member A, which movement places the actuatingespring under maximum tension at the time the pawl@1G is disengaged from the tooth al?, so that the arm 3 of the actuating-spring d8 in this case acts upon the finger or projection a, and throws the contact-arm a of the mova ble member A into engagement with its cooperating member d. This reciprocating motion of the actuating plate or bar b may be effected, as represented in Figs. l to 3, inclusive, by means of pushbuttons or rods 1112 bmpivotally connected to arms bl bl extended from the bar or plate Z).

For some classes of work I may prefer to embody my invention in the construction represented in Figs. l to 4; but Ido not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the said invention may be embodied in other forms-as, for instance, that shown in Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive. Referring to Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, A' represents the movable contact member provided with a contact-arm c, which co-operates with a stationary contact member c fastened to a suitable support, represented as a block c2 of insulation, fastened to the supporting-wall or back plate c3. The contact member A' is loosely mounted on a pivot c4, (shown as a screw or stud,) which is secured to the plate or support c3, and on substantially diametrically-opposite sides the contact memberA is providedwith teeth or projections c5 c, which may be formed by upsetting a portion of the plate from which the movable contact member is made. The movable contact member A' is also provided, as shown in Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, with lugs, projections or fingers cs e9, to which are secured the opposite ends of springs c1 c, which, as herein shown, encircle guide-rods om c13 pivot allyconnected, as at c, to the arm C15 of the actuating device c1, the outer ends of the guide-rods c12 cl3 being forked or slotted to embrace or straddle the studs or fingers o8 c. The springs cw cu are fastened at what may be termed their inner ends to the pivot or screw 014.

The movable contact member A is thrown or moved in one direction on its pivot by the spring 010 and in the other direction by the spring c, and the said member has co-operating with it spring-actuated pawls or locking devices @20.621, which are shown as projections on blocks c2, movable in openings extended through the plate c3 and secured to springs c25 c2, located behind and fastened to the plate c3, as by screws ci?. The blocks or plates C22 o23 normally project through the plate, so that the lower portions of their front faces may be engaged by the upper ends 50 5l of the actuating device, plate, or bar cl, The blocks 022 023 may, and preferably will, be made so as to form inclined surfaces 1.0 l2,

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with which co-operate the ends 50 51 of the actuating plate or bar o16, so that when the said actuating bar or plate is turned on the pivot c4 in one direction-as, for instance, in the direction indicated by arrow -tO-one end, as 50, of the plate or bar will force the block G22 back through the opening in the plate c3, until the pawl or projection 020 is withdrawn from engagement with the tooth or projection c5 on the contact member A', and when so disengaged the spring c, which at such time is under maximum tension, turns or throws the contact member A on its pivot and withdraws the contact-arm c from engagement with the contact-arm c. The movement of the contact member A on its pivot when released from its holding-pawl 020 is augmented by the spring 010, which is under compression when the contact member A is in the position shown in Fig. 5.

The movements of the actuating bar or plate o16 just described may be eected by turning the handle G40 in the direction of arrow 60, Fig. 5, which movement of the handle turns the plate or bar c1, so that the opposite end 51, now in engagement with the pawl or projection 021, will travel down the inclined face of the block C23 and permit the spring 026 to force the said block into position in front of the plate c3 to be engaged by the tooth or projection c on the contact member A', when the latter has been carried by the said pawl or projection-that is, when it is in its open position. Vhen the' contact member A' is in its open position, which may be supposed to be with its arm c in engagement with the stoppin c45, the spring C12 is at such time ready to be placed under tension when the handle 04 is moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 60. I/Vhen the handle 040 is moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 60, the block o23 is pushed back against the action of its spring C26 until the pawl or projection 021 is withdrawn from engagement with the tooth or projection c6, at which time the spring c10 is under maximum tension and turns the contact member A on its pivot and brings the contact-arm cinto engagement with the stationary contact-arm c.

In the constructions herein shown and described it will be noticed that the movable contact member is turned or carried by its spring in the same direction as the actuating device.

I have herein shown my invention as embodied in a single-pole switch; but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as it may be embodied in multipolar switches.

The parts of the switch herein shown will in practice be inclosed in a suitable casing or vmounted upon a suit( ble support of insulating material.

The forni of switch shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is especially designed for use in circuits carrying heavy currents-aa for instance, in arc lights and power-circuits-while that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is designed for use in circuits carrying light currents, such as battery-currents.

I claim- 1. In a quick-acting switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz a pivoted contact member provided with a lu g or projection, a pivoted actuating bar or plate provided with a lug or projection normally in line with the lug or projection on the contact member, a spring encircling the pivot for the said contact member and actuating bar or plate and provided with arms engaging the opposite sides of the said lugs to normally hold the said lugs in line with each other, each of the said arms being placed under tension by the movement of the lug on the actuating-bar away from or out of line with the lug on the contact member, and means to lock the said contact member in its opened and closed positions, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

2. In a quick-acting switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:- a pivoted contact member movable in opposite directions and provided with teeth 61,10 @12, holding-pawls having teeth co-operating with the teeth d10 a, and provided with arms am @22, a spring to normally move said pawls toward the contact member, a lug or projection on said contact member, a pivoted actuating bar or plate having cam-surfaces to engage the arms am L22 of the said pawls, a lug or projection on the actuating plate or bar normally in line with the lug or projection on the contact member, a spring encircling the pivot of the said contact member and its actuating bar or plate and having crossing arms which engage the lugs on the said contact member and its actuating bar or plate, whereby movement of the actuating bar or plate in one direction places the said spring under tension to move the said contact member in the same direction, when released from its holding-pawl, substantially as described.

3. In a quick-acting switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz a pivoted contact member movable in opposite directions and provided with teeth, holding-pawls co-operating with said teeth, a pivoted actuating plate or bar movable in opposite directions and adapted to disengage the holding-pawls from the movable contact member, a spring placed under tension by the movement of the actuating plate or bar and acting on the movable contact member to turn the same on its pivot in the same direction as that in which the actuating-bar is moved, substantially as described.

4. In a quick-acting switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz a pivoted contact member provided with teeth and movable in opposite directions, springactuated holding-pawls co-operatingwith said teeth, a pivoted actuating plate or bar movable in opposite directions and adapted to engage said pawls to withdraw them from engagement with the contact member, and a IOO IIO

spring operatively connected to the said con- In testimony whereof I have signed my tact member and to the actuating bar or plate name to thls Specification in the presence of ro to be pla-eed under maximum tension at or two subscribing Witnesses.

about the time the holdiufr-pawl is disenaffed T Y 5 from the Contact membe, to act 011 the said BORMAN MARSHALL Contact member and move it in the same di- Vituesses: reetiou as the actuating plate or bar, Substan- JAS. H. CHURCHILL,

tially as described. J. MURPHY. 

